Uterus - Cow

UTERUS (COW)

  • The uterus is musculo-membranous sac continuous with the oviduct in front and vagina behind
  • It lies almost entirely in the abdominal cavity in the adult and is attached to the upper part of the flank about a handbreadth, below the level of tuber coxae by two extensive peritoneal folds -the broad ligaments of the uterus
  • It consists of two horns, a body and cervix ( Click to see the different parts of Uterus )
  • The horns or cornua are situated in the abdomen and are about 35 to 40 cm long
  • They taper gradually to the free end so that its junction with the fallopian tube is not abrupt
  • The horns curve downward, forward, outward and then turn backward and upward thus forming a spiral coil
  • The dorsal border is attached to the lateral part of flank by broad ligament.
  • The body is about 3 to 4 cm long. It is cylindrical and is related to the rectum above and the bladder below.
  • The cervix is about 10 cm long and its wall is very dense and more than 3 cm thick. Part of it projects into the vagina and is not visible externally but may be felt through the vaginal wall and the space between the projection and the vagina is called as fornix ( Click to see the fornix )
  • The lumen or the cervical canal is spiral, tightly closed and difficult to dilate. It is clearly marked off from the body of uterus and vagina so that the two orifices of the canal are distinct
  • The vaginal part of the uterus is so fused ventrally with the vagina .So the fornix is present dorsally and almost absent ventrally
  • The cervix and body communicate through orificium internum uteri. ( Click to see the image )
  • The cavity of the uterus is largely obliterated in the non-pregnant state by the contraction of its wall and the folds of mucous membrane
  • The cavity of the neck opens into the vagina at the orificium externum uteri or os uteri. In front, the uterus communicates with the oviducts
  • The mucous membrane of the body and horns presents a large number of oval prominences called maternal caruncles, about 100 in number, irregularly scattered or arranged in rows of about a dozen or more. In the non-gravid state these are about 15 mm. long and a little less in width and thickness
  •  During pregnancy they become enlarged and pedunculated, being about 10 to 12 cm long, 3 to 4 cm wide, 2 to 2.5 cm thick
  • The deep face has a hilus at which the vessels enter. The rest of the surface has a spongy appearance, due to numerous crypts, which receive the chorionic villi of the fetus
  • The mucous membrane of the cervix is pale and forms numerous folds
  • The folds are arranged in several series, which obliterate the lumen
  • At the external uterine orifice, the folds form rounded prominences arranged circularly which project into the cavity of vagina
  • There are no glands in the cervix but a thick mucous is secreted by goblet cells.

Attachments

  • The body and horns are attached by extensive peritoneal folds - broad ligaments of uterus to the lateral part of flank
  • The ligaments contain the vessels and nerves of uterus and ovaries, connective tissue and a large amount of unstriped muscular fibres, which are continuous with the uterus
  • The broad ligaments on either side gives a fold to the uterus, which extends up to the abdominal inguinal ring known as round ligaments
Last modified: Thursday, 9 February 2012, 10:11 AM